Wrapping machine



July 2, 1935. A. G. ROSE WRAPPING MACHINE' Filed June 22, 1934 V luvzuToR QMM 4 %M*M V Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED; STATES WRAPPING MACHINE .Alfre-d German Rose, Gainsborough, England,

assignor to Rose Brothers Limited, Gainsborough,

company (Gainsborough England, a British Application June 22, 1934, Serial No. 731,899

In Great Britain May 13, 1933 9 Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and in particular to mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-shaped formation prior to the introduction of an article or charge of material into the wrapper. More specifically the invention relates to mechanism of the kind exemplified by that described in Roses United States Patent No. 586,076 and'comprising a channelshaped mould-box which is open at its top and 10 over which a Wrapper is fed, a plunger fitting into the mould-box and means for moving the plunger, which carries the wrapper with it, into the mould-box and then withdrawing it therefrom, leaving the wrapper in the mould-box.

Such mechanism operates satisfactorily with wrappers of moderately stiff paper or other stiif material. It is found, however, thatit tends to crumple the wrappers when they are of thin or fragile material, such as thin tinfoil, the material sold under the registered name Cellophane or the like, A machine embodying this mechanism will not, therefore, produce neat and correctly formed packages particularly when the bottom and side walls of the mould-box are concave;

The main object of the present invention is to provide mechanism of the above kind which will handle thin or fragile materal satisfactorily.

According to the present invention mechanism of the above kind is provided with a plunger which is formed in two portions movable relatively to one another transversely of the direction of movement of the plunger into the mould-box and actuating means for separating the two portions of the plunger, so that they engage against the side walls of the mould-box, and then moving them towards one another into their original position,'while the plunger is in the mould-box; In this arrangement a wrapper is carried into the mould-box by the movement of the plunger into the mould-box without, however, fitting tightly against the mould-box. The separation of the two portions of the plunger, serves to press the Wrapper tightly against the moul-d-boX, so that the wrapper will conformto the shape of the mould-box.

Preferably, the plunger comprises a movable support and two members mounted (e. g. pivoted) on the support for movement relatively to one 50 another transversely of the direction of movement of thesupport. The actuating means may comprise a spring tending to separate the two members and means for positively moving them together.

Usually the mould-box is open atboth ends with thin wrapping material,

and, in order to retain the wrapper snugly against the sides of the inner surfaces of the mould-box until an article or charge has been placed within it, there may be provided a, holding member conforming in shape to the inner surfaces of the p "5 side and bottom walls 'of the mould-box" and means operable to move said member over the" wrapper after the plunger has been expanded. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which'the two figures show the mechanism in side elevation in two different positions, and wherein v Fig. 1 is'a side elevation showing applicants mechanism in inoperative position, 15

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism in operative position.

The present invention will be described as applied to a well known tobacco packing machine which is fully described in Roses United States Patent'No. 586,076. Only such parts of this machine as are necessary for an understanding of the present invention will be described herein, and, for a fuller explanation of this machine, reference should be had to the above patent specification. For convenience those parts which correspond to parts shown in the prior specifica tion will be given, in this specification, the same reference num'erals as in the prior specification.

The machine is providedwith' a main shaft 30 (not shown) which rotates continuously and through suitable mechanism drives a mould wheel 21 (Figure 1) intermittently and'step by step. The mould wheel is' rotatably mounted on a shaft 28, and is provided with a plurality of mould-boxes 42 which are open at the top and at both ends. The side walls 440 of the mouldboxes are concave and the bottom walls 44b of these boxes are fiat.

As stated in the prior specification, the indi- 4.0 vidual wrappers 26B are fed by suitable mechanisin and positioned immediately over the top of one of the mould-boxes 42 as shown in Figure 1. This wrapper is fed into the mould-box and pressed into channel-formation so as to fit snugly against the side walls and bottom wallof the mould-box by mechanism which will now be described.

A shaft 2 is driven continuously from the main drive shaft, in the manner described in the prior specification, and carries a cam 21. An arm 203 is secured to one of a pair of arms 295 which 'are pivoted on a shaft 23 and are connected together by a bridging member 284. The arms 205 are arranged one at eachside of the mechanism. A 5

bracket 20B is bolted to the upper ends of both of the arms 205, and forms a support for two members 201 and 200 which are pivoted on the bracket 206 at 209 and 2I0. The members 201 and 208 have secured to them arcuate racks 2H and H2 which mesh with one another so that a pivotal movement applied to the member 201 will be transmitted to the member 258 and the two members will rock together towards or away from one another.

A spring 213 is connected between the two members 201 and 208 and tends to rock these members so as to separate their operative ends 2 and H5. The members are normally held in the position of Figure 1 by a roller 2l6 carried by a member 201 and engaging with a cam element 211. The member 211 is secured to the upper end of one arm 2! of a bell-crank lever. The other arm 2I0 of this lever carries a roller 220 which is pressed by a suitable spring (not shown) against a cam 22! on the shaft 2. 'The bracket 206 and the members 201 and 208 constitute an expansible plunger for shaping a wrapper within a mould-box.

The length of each of the operative ends 214 and 215 is equal to the length of the mould-box and when the. parts are in the position with Figure 1 the operative ends 214 and 2|5 can pass, with a substantial clearance, through the open top of the mould-box. The ends 214 and 2l5 are shaped to conform with the shape of the side walls a. of the mould-box. The operation of this mechanism is as follows:

With the parts in the position shown in Figure 1 the earns 20! and 22! rock the arms 205 and 218 together so that the members 261 and 208 are moved together, but without relative movement occurring between them, downwardly through the open top of the mould-box until they engage the bottom wall 441) of the mould-box. During this movement they carry the wrapper into the mould-box 42 and press it against the bottom wall of the latter. The rocking movement of the arm 205 then stops but the arm 218 is rocked counterclockwise, that is in the reverse direction, so that the cam surface 211 moves over the roller 2|6 into the position shown in Figure 2. The surface H1 is so shaped as to permit the members 201 and 208 to be rocked by the spring 2l3, so that the ends 2l4 and H5 of these members are separated and press the wrapper snugly against the side walls 44a of the mouldbox. The wrapper is thus pressed snugly against the side and bottom walls of the mould-box without any possibility of its becoming creased.

The arm H8 is then rocked clockwise slightly in order to bring the ends 2M and H5 of the members 201 and 200 together again, and after this the arms 205 and 2l8 are rocked together counter-clockwise, to restore the parts to the position shown in Figure l. The mould-wheel 21 then makes one step of movement so as to bring the next mould-box into register with the wrapper and concurrently to bring the mould-box which has just received a wrapper into a charging position. In this latter position a charge of tobacco is inserted into the wrapper by suitable mechanism such as that described in the prior specification aforesaid.

Means is provided for retaining the wrapper in shape in the mould-box until the charge of the tobacco has been inserted into it. This means comprises two clips 51 one on each side of the mould wheel and each mounted on a separate arm 56;, Each arm 56 ispivo-ted on an arm 55 which in turn is pivoted on the shaft 28. The arms 55 are connected together for simultaneous movement and are oscillated by suitable mechanism including a suitable cam such as the cam SI of Figure '7 of the prior specification. The arm 55 moves from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2 and back again. The arms 55 are rocked by suitable mechanism ineluding a cam such as the cam 68 shown in Figure 8 of the prior specification quoted so that the clips 51 move together towards or away from the mould-wheel.

The ends of the wrapper extend beyond both sides of the mould-wheel and through both open ends of the mouldbox. From the drawing it will be seen that the clips 51 conform in shape to the shape of the inner surfaces of the side and bottom walls of the mould-box. In the position shown in Figure .l, the clips have been moved towards one another and towards the mouldwheel so as to over-lie the ends of the wrapper in the mould-box and hold it snugly against the inner surfaces of the latter. After a charge of tobacco has been inserted into the wrapper the arms 56 are rocked so as to move the clips 51 clear of the ends of the wrapper. The arms 55 are then moved from the position of Figure 1 to that of Figure 2. After the members 201 and 208 have been separated so as to press the wrapper snugly against the inner surfaces of the following mould-box, the arms 56 are rocked so as to move the clips 51 over the ends of this wrapper and to retain it in place. The members 201 and 203 are then rocked together and moved out of the mould-box. and, after they have cleared the latter, the mould-wheel 21 moves one step. The arms 55 are rocked in synchronism with this movement so that the clips 51 move with the wrapper from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1.

Suitable mechanism is provided for folding the wrapper completely about the charge of tobacco so as to form a completely closed packet but, as this mechanism forms no part of the present invention, itwill not be described herein. The mechanism described in the prior specification aforesaid maybe used for this purpose.

I claim:-

1. Mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-formation comprising the combination with a mould-box which is open at its top and over which a wrapper is fed, the width of the mouldbox opening being less than the maximum width of the mould-box inwardly from the opening of a plunger mounted to move through said open top to carry the wrapper into the mould-box and formed with two portions movable relatively to one another transversely of the direction of movement of the plunger into the mould-box, operating means for moving the plunger into the m0uldbox and then withdrawing it therefrom, actuating means arranged, while the plunger is in the mould-box, to separate the two portions of the plunger a distance corresponding substantially to the full maximum width of the mould-box so that they engage against the side walls of the mould-box and then to move them towards one another into their original position, and means for holding the wrapper in position after the plunger has completed its operation thereon.

2. Mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-formation, comprising the combination with a mould-box which is open at its top and over which a wrapper is fed, of a plunger comprising a support mounted for movement towards and mounted on the support for movement relatively to one another transversely of the direction of movement of the support, said twomembers having inner portions adapted to enter the mouldbox and outer portions attached to said support, operating means for moving the support towards the mould-box and the members into the mouldbox and then moving the support back to its original position, resilient actuating means at the outer portions of said member 'for' separating the two members so'that they engage against the side walls of the mould-box and means for moving the members towards one another to their original position while the plunger is in the mouldbox.

3. Mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-formation comprising the combination with a mould-box which is open at its top and over which a wrapper is fed, a support mounted for movement towards and away from the mould-v box, means for reciprocating said support, two members mounted on said support for movement relatively to one another in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of thesupport and so arranged as to move with the support through the openend of the mould--box intoengagement with its bottom surface, a spring tending to move said members so as to separate the portionof said members which are movable within the mould box and means normally holding said members in a position in which the said portions-are not so separated but operable to permit the spring to move them as aforesaid while their said portions are within the mould-box.

4. Mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-formation comprising the combination with the mould-box which is open at its top and over which a wrapper is fed, of a support mounted to reciprocate towards and away from the open top of the mould-box, two members pivoted on the support and having operative ends, a spring connected between the two members and tending to rock them to separate the said ends, means for reciprocating the support and thus moving the said ends of the members into and out of the mould-box and means normally rocking the said members against the action of the spring to bring the said ends'together but operable when the said ends are within the mould-box, to permit the spring to separate them, and then to restore them to their normal position.

5. Mechanism for forming a wrapper into channel-formation, comprising the combination with the mould-box which is open at its topand both ends and over which a wrapper is fed, of a plunger mounted to move through said open top to carry the wrapper into the mould-box and formed with two portions movable relatively to one another transversely of the direction ofmovement of the plunger into the mould-box, operating means for moving the plunger into the mould-box and then withdrawing it therefrom, and actuating means for separating the two portions of the plunger so that they engage the side walls of the mould-box and then moving them into their original relative position while the plunger is in the mould-box, a pair of holding members conforming in shape to the inner surfaces of the side and bottom walls of the mouldbox and means operable after the portions of the plunger have been separated to move said members over the ends of the wrapper.

6. A packaging machine comprising a mouldbox, an expansible plunger movable into and out of said box, means for effecting movement of said plunger, means operable after the plunger has moved into the mould for expanding the plunger and for collapsing it before the plunger moves out, and wrapper holding means movable into ,engagement-with a wrapper sheet in the mould-box after the plunger has expanded for holding the wrapper in shape after the plunger has been withdrawn.

7. In a machine for positioning wrappers in a mould-box, a movable mould-box open at the top and at both ends and over which a wrapper is fed, a plunger adapted to move into the mouldbox and carry a wrapper to the bottom thereof, said plunger having two oppositely disposed members movable relatively to one another in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of the plunger into the mould-box at the end of the insertion movement, means for inserting the plunger into and withdrawing it from the mould-box, means for separating the two members so. that they force the wrapper into close contact with the side walls of the mould-box, means for retracting the members while the plunger is in the mould-box and prior to the withdrawal of the plunger, and a pair of holding members for holding the wrapper in position in the mould-box after it has been molded.

8. In a machine for positioning wrappers in 'a mould-box, a mould-box holder, a plurality of moulds therein, said moulds having sides and a bottom, a plunger for pressing a wrapper into the mould-box, means for moving the mould-box step by step into cooperative position with respect to said plunger, means for moving the plunger into and out of the mould-box when in cooperative position, two oppositely disposed members pivotally mounted onsaid plunger for simultaneous movement towards said sides, means for movingapart the portions of said members which are insertable in the mould-box whereby the wrapper is forced into intimate contact with the sides of the mould, and means for urging said pivotal members together while in the'mould-box.

9. In a machine for positioning wrappers in a mould-box, a mould-box holder, a plurality of moulds therein, said moulds having sides and a bottom, a plunger for pressing a wrapper into the mould-box, means for moving the mould-box step by step into cooperative position with respect to said plunger, means for moving the plunger into and out of the mould-box when in cooperative position, two oppositely disposed members pivotally mounted on said plunger for simultaneous movement towards said sides, means for moving apart the portions of said members which are insertable in the mould-box whereby the wrapper is forced into intimate contact with the sides of the mould, means for urging said pivotal members together while in the mould-box,/and means for holding the wrapper in position in the mould-box after it has been moulded.

ALFRED GERMAN ROSE. 

